Char Dham Yatra

Char Dham, meaning Four Homes of God, are located in the four directions of India. These are Badrinath in the North, Rameshwaram in the South, Puri in the East and Dwarka in the West. Badrinath is located in the Northern state of Uttarakhand and is the most important of the four sites. It is situated on the banks of the Alakananda River and in the Garhwal Hills. It is located at an altitude of 6,560 meters in the shadow of Nilkantha Peak. Badri means berry and Nath means Vishnu. In extreme south is Rameshwaram, situated in the state of Tamil Nadu and in the Gulf of Mannar at the tip of the Indian Peninsula.

The chief God here is Sri Ramanatha Swamy, in the form of a Linga. According to legends, this is the place where Lord Rama built a bridge called the Ram Setu bridge. Jagannath Puri, on the coast of Bay of Bengal, is situated in the state of Orissa. The Jagannath temple, built by emperor Anangabhimadeva, is the major attraction in Puri. The Rathyatra Festival is held at Puri every year. Jagannath refers to Lord Krishna who abodes at Jagannath Temple with Radha. The fourth dham, Dwarka, is located in the Jamnagar district in the state of Gujarat. Dwarka is one of the most ancient cities of India and is the place where Lord Krishna dwelled. Dwarka is famous for the Dwarkadheesh temple built by Sambha, the Grandson of Krishna.